1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording tape cartridge which rotatably accommodates a single reel on which is wound a recording tape such as a magnetic tape or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recording tapes, such as magnetic tapes or the like, are used as external recording media for computers and the like. A recording tape cartridge, which requires little space for storage, and in which a large amount of information can be recorded, and which accommodates a single reel on which the recording tape is wound, is used for the recording tape.
An opening is formed in a case of the recording tape cartridge. The recording tape is pulled out from the opening, and is taken-up onto a take-up reel of a drive device. Conventionally, various measures have been devised in order for dust and the like to not enter in from the opening and adhere to the recording tape.
In a recording tape cartridge 100 shown in FIG. 13, an opening 104 is formed in a side wall 102A (a side wall running along a case loading direction A) of a case 102. The opening 104 is opened and closed by a door 106 which slides along the loading direction.
However, at the position of the opening 104, an operation member of the drive device, which pulls-out a leader member (i.e., a leader pin 108) which is attached to an end portion of a magnetic tape T which is the recording tape, must move around from the lateral direction of the case 102 and pull-out the leader pin 108. Thus, space for the operation member to move around (i.e., move non-rectilinearly) must be ensured in the drive device. Moreover, the mechanism for moving the operation member around becomes complex, and the drive device becomes large. In addition, the path along which the magnetic tape T is pulled out becomes long with respect to a take-up reel 110.
In a recording tape cartridge 112 shown in FIG. 14, an opening 116 is formed in a front wall 114A (a front wall facing the case loading direction A) of a case 114. The opening 116 is opened and closed by a pivoting-type door 118 which opens and closes around a shaft.
In this recording tape cartridge 112, because the opening 116 is formed at the front wall 114A, there is no need for the operation member of the drive device to pull-out the magnetic tape T by moving around from the lateral direction. However, because the door 118 outwardly opens widely, space must be ensured in the drive device such that nothing interferes with the opening and closing operations of the door 118. Therefore, the drive device becomes large.
In a recording tape cartridge 120 shown in FIG. 15, an opening 124 is formed by cutting off a corner portion of a case 122. The opening 124 is opened and closed directly by a leader block 126 which is a leader member connected to the end portion of the magnetic tape T.
If the leader block 126 only functions as a door for closing the opening 124, no problems arise even if scratches are formed in or dust adheres to the leader block 126. However, the leader block 126 is pulled out by an operation member of the drive device, and is fit-together with a hub 130 of a take-up reel 128 of the drive device. Thus, if scratches are formed in or dirt adheres to the leader block 126, the leader block 126 cannot fit-together well with the hub 130, and there is the concern that the conveying of the magnetic tape T may be adversely affected. Moreover, because the leader block 126 forms a portion of a take-up surface which takes-up the magnetic tape T, there is the risk that the data recorded on the magnetic tape T will be damaged or that regions which cannot be recorded will arise due to scratches formed in or dirt adhering to the leader block 126.
Further, the leader block 126 is merely anchored at the edge of the opening 126. Thus, there is the concern that, if the case 122 is dropped, the leader block 126 will come apart from the opening 124. Moreover, because the leader block 126 is larger than a leader pin, the number of constraints on the configuration of the case 122 increases.